Development of a nanoparticle-assisted PCR (nanoPCR) assay for detection of mink enteritis virus (MEV) and genetic characterization of the NS1 gene in four Chinese MEV strains

Development and Bayesian validation of a competitive inhibition ELISA for detection of antibodies against Brucella abortus in cattle

Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella abortus, responsible for abortions in cows. It is endemic in low- and middle-income countries, where the brucellosis control and eradication programs are based on compulsory vaccination, detection of infected cattle through serologic assays, and culling of infected animals at slaughterhouses. The development of high sensitivity and specificity, and low-cost serologic assays guarantee their implementation in countries where the disease is endemic. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immune assay (ciELISA) to detect anti-B. abortus antibodies in sera from cattle. The developed ciELISA was validated using 2833 serum samples from dairy and beef cattle. From these, 1515 sera were from uninfected cows that belonged to free of brucellosis herds and 1318 were from infected cows that belonged positive to brucellosis herds. Sera were analyzed with the developed ciELISA, the buffer plate antigen (BPA) test, and the complement fixation test (CFT). The brucellosis status of the herds was officially established according to the country legislation and consistent for at least 5 years and was defined for each cow using the CFT as gold standard. The cutoff for the ciELISA was calculated using a ROC curve and its sensitivity and specificity were analyzed using the Bayesian Latent Class Model (BLCM) approach. The agreement among tests was calculated using the kappa (κ) value. In addition, 15 calves were vaccinated with 3 × 1010 viable cells of B. abortus Strain 19 vaccine, and the dynamics of antibodies were measured by CFT, buffered plate antigen (BPA) test, and the developed ciELISA. The obtained cutoff for ciELISA was ≥ 47 percentage of inhibition (% I), at the BLCM approach the sensitivity was 99.01 % (95 % CI: 97.55-100) and the specificity 98.74 % (95 % CI: 97.68-99.8). The κ between the ciELISA and BPA was κ = 0.88 and between the ciELISA and CFT κ = 0.95. Antibodies against B. abortus were detected in all the vaccinated calves 7 days after vaccination (AV) by the three assays, at day 135 AV all the calves were negative to CFT (15/15), 93.3 % (14/15) to ciELISA and 73.3 % (11/15) to BPA, and at day 190 AV all the calves were negative to the three assays. The developed ciELISA showed a very good performance, could detect the majority of vaccinated animals as negative after 135 days and could be used for the detection of anti-B. abortus antibodies in serum samples for the brucellosis control and eradication program.

Establishment and application of multiplex PCR for rapid detection of three mink diarrhea-associated viruses

In this report, a multiplex PCR method was developed for the detection of three diarrhea-associated viruses in mink, including circovirus (MCV), bocavirus (MBoV), and enteritis virus (MEV). Three compatible sets of primers specific for each virus were designed respectively based on their conserved sequences. After optimization of the crucial factors such as primer concentration and annealing temperature in single and multiple amplification, three specific fragments were simultaneously amplified with the highest sensitivity and specificity in one PCR reaction. The fragments amplified were 259 bp (MCV)，455 bp (MBoV) and 671 bp (MEV). The sensibility of this one-step multiplex PCR is about 10 times lower than that of regular singleplex PCR. There were no cross-reactions with some relevant pathogens like mink coronavirus, canine distemper virus, and aleutian mink disease virus. In our study we analyzed viral DNA in mink fecal samples by multiplex PCR assay from China, which revealed the occurrence of MCV, MBoV, and MEV as 3.1 %, 5.7 %, and 9.8 %, respectively. The testing results of multiplex PCR agreed with the singleplex PCR results with a coincidence rate of 100 %. These results indicated that the method could provide technical support for rapid detection of the three diarrhea-associated viruses, and epidemiological investigation of mink viral diarrhea.

Identification and pathogen detection of a Neocypholaelaps species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from beehives in the Republic of Korea

In this study, we identified a new strain of the genus Neocypholaelaps from the beehives of Apis mellifera colonies in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The Neocypholaelap sp. KOR23 mites were collected from the hives of honeybee apiaries in Wonju, Gangwon-do, in May 2023. Morphological and molecular analyses based on 18S and 28S rRNA gene regions conclusively identified that these mites belong to the genus Neocypholaelaps, closely resembling Neocypholaelaps sp. APGD-2010 that was first isolated from the United States. The presence of 9 of 25 honeybee pathogens in these mite samples suggests that Neocypholaelaps sp. KOR23 mite may act as an intermediate vector and carrier of honeybee diseases. The identification of various honeybee pathogens within this mite highlights their significance in disease transmission among honeybee colonies. This comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the taxonomy and implications of these mites for bee health management and pathogen dissemination.

Effects of intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma as a complementary treatment to arthroscopy in horses with osteochondritis dissecans

Although arthroscopy is the treatment of choice for horses with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), it is not yet known whether intra-articular therapies in the postoperative period can bring any benefit to the recovery of these animals. This study evaluated the effects of the intra-articular application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid (HA) or lactated Ringer's solution (LR) in horses with OCD undergoing arthroscopy. Eighteen male and female Brazilian Sport horses aged between 2 and 6 years were evaluated. All animals presented OCD fragments in the middle crest of the tibia. Ten days after surgery, animals were randomly distributed into three groups and received intra-articular application of PRP (n = 6), HA (n = 6), or LR (control group, n = 6). Clinical, radiographic, ultrasound and synovial fluid evaluations were performed on the day of surgery and after 10, 30 and 60 days. An increase in the thickness of the joint capsule was observed 30 days after surgery in the three groups evaluated. In the control group, there was significant improvement in the flexion test 30 and 60 days after surgery, and in the PRP group, there was worsening of this parameter in the same evaluations. In the control group, there was a reduction in the degree of synovial effusion, and in the PRP and HA groups, there was increased effusion. There was a significant increase in the number of leukocytes in the HA group. Intra-articular use of PRP or HA ten days after arthroscopy did not promote positive effects on the recovery of horses with OCD.

Climate change and dairy farming sustainability; a causal loop paradox and its mitigation scenario

It is arguable at this time whether climate change is a cause or effect of the disruption in dairy farming. Climate change drastically affects the productive performance of livestock, including milk and meat production, and this could be attributed to the deviation of energy resources towards adaptive mechanisms. However, livestock farming also contributes substantially to the existing greenhouse gas pool, which is the causal of the climate change. We gathered relevant information from the recent publication and reviewed it to elaborate on sustainable dairy farming management in a changing climatic scenario, and efforts are needed to gather this material to develop methods that could help to overcome the adversities associated with livestock industries. We summarize the intervention points to reverse these adversities, such as application of genetic technology, nutrition intervention, utilization of chemical inhibitors, immunization, and application of metagenomics, which may help to sustain farm animal production in the changing climate scenario.

Suppressive effect of Yokukansan on glutamate released from canine keratinocytes

Background

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is caused by skin barrier dysfunction due to allergen exposure. Excessive glutamate release in the skin is associated with delayed skin barrier function recovery and epidermal thickening and lichenification. Treatment with Yokukansan (YKS), a traditional Japanese medicine, reduces dermatitis severity and scratching behavior in NC/Nga mice by decreasing epidermal glutamate levels. However, the association between canine keratinocytes and glutamate and the mechanism by which YKS inhibits glutamate release from keratinocytes remains unknown.

Aim

We aimed to investigate glutamate release from canine progenitor epidermal keratinocytes (CPEKs) and the inhibitory effect of YKS on this release. We also explored the underlying mechanism of YKS to enable its application in CAD treatment.

Methods

Glutamate produced from CPEKs in the medium at 24 hours was measured. The measurement conditions varied in terms of cell density and YKS concentration. CPEKs were treated with a glutamate receptor antagonist (MK-801), a glutamate transporter antagonist (THA), and a glutamate dehydrogenase inhibitor (epigallocatechin gallate; EGCG), and the inhibitory effect of YKS, YKS + THA, MK-801, and EGCG on this release was determined. MK-801 and glutamate dehydrogenase inhibitor were tested alone, and THA was tested in combination with YKS. Finally, glutamine incorporated into CPEKs at 24 hours was measured using radioisotope labeling.

Results

CPEKs released glutamate in a cell density-dependent manner, inhibited by YKS in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, YKS reduced the intracellular uptake of radioisotope-labeled glutamine in a concentration-dependent manner. No involvement of glutamate receptor antagonism or activation of glutamate transporters was found, as suggested by previous studies. In addition, EGCG could inhibit glutamate release from CPEKs.

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that glutamate release from CPEKs could be effectively inhibited by YKS, suggesting the utility of YKS in maintaining skin barrier function during CAD. In addition, CPEKs are appropriate for analyzing the mechanism of YKS. However, we found that the mechanism of action of YKS differs from that reported in previous studies, suggesting that it may have had a similar effect to EGCG in this study. Further research is warranted to understand the exact mechanism and clinical efficacy in treating CAD.

The establishment and application of a dual Nano-PCR detection method for feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus type I

Feline calicivirus (FCV) and Feline herpesvirus type I (FHV-I) are the main pathogens causing upper respiratory tract infections in cats, and some wild animals. These two viruses always coinfection and cause serious harm to pet industry and wild animals protection. Established a rapid and accurate differential diagnosis method is crucial for prevention and control of disease, however, the current main detection method for these two viruses, either is low sensitivity (immunochromatographic strip), or is time-consuming and cannot differential diagnosis (conventional single PCR). Nanoparticle-assisted polymerase chain reaction (Nano-PCR) is a recently developed technique for rapid detection method of virus and bacteria. In this study, we described a dual Nano-PCR assay through combining the nanotechnology and PCR technology, which for the clinical simultaneous detection of FCV and FHV-I and differential diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infections in cats or other animals. Under optimized conditions, the optimal annealing temperature for dual Nano-PCR was 51.5°C, and specificity test results showed it had no cross reactivity to related virus, such as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline Infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) and rabies virus (RABV). Furthermore, the detection limit of dual Nano-PCR for FCV and FHV-I both were 1 × 10-8 ng/μL, convert to number of copies of virus DNA was 6.22 × 103copies/μL (FCV) and 2.81 × 103copies/μL (FHV-I), respectively. The dual Nano-PCR detected result of 52 cat clinical samples, including ocular, nasal and faecal swabs, and (3 FCV-positive samples), was consistent with ordinary PCR and the clinical detection results. The dual Nano-PCR method established in this study with strong specificity and high sensitivity can be used for virus nucleic acid (FCV and FHV-I) detection of clinical samples of feline upper respiratory tract infections feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus while providing support for the early diagnosis of cats that infected by FCV and FHV-I.

Domestic dogs in indigenous Amazonian communities: key players in Leptospira cycling and transmission?

Background

Leptospirosis is the world's most common zoonotic disease. Mitigation and control rely on pathogen identification and understanding the roles of potential reservoirs in cycling and transmission. Underreporting and misdiagnosis obscure the magnitude of the problem and confound efforts to understand key epidemiological components. Difficulties in culturing hamper the use of serological diagnostics and delay the development of DNA detection methods. As a result, especially in complex ecosystems, we know very little about the importance of different mammalian host species in cycling and transmission to humans.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We sampled five indigenous Kichwa communities living in the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Blood and urine samples from domestic dogs were collected to assess the exposure of these animals to Leptospira, and to identify the circulating species. Microscopic Agglutination Tests with a panel of 22 different serovars showed anti-leptospira antibodies in 36 sampled dogs (75%), and 10 serotypes were detected. Two DNA-based detection assays revealed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in 18 of 19 dog urine samples (94.7%). Amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 16s rDNA and SecY genes from 15 urine samples revealed genetic diversity within two of three different Leptospira species: noguchii (n=7), santarosai (n=7), and interrogans (n=1).

Conclusions/Significance

The high prevalence of antibodies and Leptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenic Leptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission of Leptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics.

Development and Application of nanoPCR Method for Detection of Feline Panleukopenia Virus

Feline panleukopenia (FP) is a severe viral illness caused by the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), putting sectors like companion cat breeding and endangered feline conservation at risk. The virus has a high morbidity and fatality rate and is found all over the world. We created a novel FPV assay using nanoPCR technology and assessed the method's specificity and sensitivity. The approach amplified a 345 bp nucleic acid fragment with a minimum detection limit of 7.97 × 10² copies/μL, which is about 100 times greater than traditional PCR. We collected anal swabs from 83 cats suspected of FPV infection for practical application, and the FPV-positive rate determined by the nanoPCR approach was 77.1%. In conclusion, the approach is more sensitive than conventional PCR and more convenient and cost-effective than qPCR methodology and may be utilized for the clinical detection of FPV.

Ethanolic extract of Etlingera elatior flower exhibits anthelmintic properties to Fasciola gigantica in vitro

Background

Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease affecting the hepatobiliary system of livestock worldwide. The control of the fluke is important to be performed in endemic regions.

Aim

This study aims to evaluate the effect of Etlingera elatior ethanolic extract on egg and adult stadia of Fasciola gigantica.

Methods

Fasciola gigantica in different stages were incubated with E. elatior ethanolic extract in different concentrations and time points.

Results

The number of developed eggs with different concentrations of 1.25%, 2.5%, and 5% was significantly decreased by 36.67%, 56.67%, and 56.67% on day 11 post-incubation, which showed an ovicidal effect of the herb. The developed eggs on day 14, which were represented by hatched larvae, were also decreased by 70%, 50%, and 13.33%, respectively. Significant flukicidal effects were observed in the incubation time of 80 minutes for the concentration of 20% (p = 0.007) and 640 minutes for 10% concentration (p = 0.003). Surface microscopy of adult F. gigantica showed damaged skin and spina with the erosion of the inner membrane and detached syncytium from the tegument.

Conclusion

Overall, the results indicate that E. elatior has a promising anthelmintic property against F. gigantica in both ova and adult stages.

Transcriptional activation of Mink enteritis virus VP2 by the C-terminal of its NS1 protein

Mink enteritis virus (MEV) NS1 is a multidomain and multifunctional protein containing origin binding, helicase, and transactivation domains. In particular, parvoviral NS1 proteins are transactivators of the viral capsid protein promoter although the manner by which they exert these transactivation effects remained unclear. In this study, the region of the transactivation domain of the NS1 C-terminal was found located at aa 557 ~ 668 and any deletion within this region reduced the transactivation activity. A dominant negative mutation of the 63 aa deletion in the C-terminal of NS1 protein resulted in loss of ability to activate P38 and VP2-5'UTR in a dual-luciferase reporter assay system, a VP2 protein expression system, and within the whole MEV genome, independent of downstream genes. Additionally, a full-length MEV clone deficient in its NS1 C-terminal failed to rescue the virus, possibly due to the loss of integrity of DNA sequences interacting with NS1 protein, and expression of VP2 was also inhibited even when normal NS1 protein was supplied in trans.

Biofilm forming multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus of dairy origin: molecular and evolutionary perspectives

Background

Biofilm production by Staphylococcus aureus is a prevailing cause of multidrug resistance. The evolutionary mechanisms of adaption with host and pathogenicity are poorly understood.

Aims

The present study aimed to investigate the biofilm-forming potential, associated multidrug resistance, and the evolutionary analysis of S. aureus isolated from bovine subclinical mastitis.

Methods

122 S. aureus isolates were subjected to Congo red agar method (CRA), microtitre plate method (MTP), and PCR to check the biofilm-forming potential. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibiotic resistance pattern. The icaA gene of isolates was subjected to molecular and evolutionary analysis using different bioinformatics tools.

Results

The results showed that 63.93% of S. aureus isolates carried the icaA gene and the detection rate of CRA was higher (36.07%) compared to the MTP test (24.59%). A total of 78.21% and 56.41% of biofilm-positive isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA), respectively. All S. aureus isolates (100%) showed multidrug resistance. The molecular analysis showed an evolutionary link between isolates and revealed a strong codon bias, three different recombination events, and positive selection in some residues of the semi-conserved segments of the icaA gene.

Conclusion

The study concluded that biofilm-positive isolates have a high tendency to exhibit methicillin, vancomycin, and multidrug resistance. The findings suggest that mutation and selection are the most likely causes of codon bias in the icaA gene sequences. The variations led by recombination events and positive selection are suggestive of bacterial strategy to combat antimicrobial effects and to escape the host's immune surveillance.

Application of Nanomaterials to Enhance Polymerase Chain Reaction

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is one of the most common technologies used to produce millions of copies of targeted nucleic acid in vitro and has become an indispensable technique in molecular biology. However, it suffers from low efficiency and specificity problems, false positive results, and so on. Although many conditions can be optimized to increase PCR yield, such as the magnesium ion concentration, the DNA polymerases, the number of cycles, and so on, they are not all-purpose and the optimization can be case dependent. Nano-sized materials offer a possible solution to improve both the quality and productivity of PCR. In the last two decades, nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention and gradually penetrated the field of life sciences because of their unique chemical and physical properties, such as their large surface area and small size effect, which have greatly promoted developments in life science and technology. Additionally, PCR technology assisted by NPs (NanoPCR) such as gold NPs (Au NPs), quantum dots (QDs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), etc., have been developed to significantly improve the specificity, efficiency, and sensitivity of PCR and to accelerate the PCR reaction process. This review discusses the roles of different types of NPs used to enhance PCR and summarizes their possible mechanisms.

Development and Evaluation of NanoPCR for the Detection of Goose Parvovirus

Simple Summary

Gosling plague (GP), an acute, virulent infectious disease caused by goose parvovirus (GPV), is a serious problem for livestock and poultry breeding. At present, there is no effective treatment available. The disease is vertically transmitted in geese, and some infected pregnant females are often recessive carriers of the virus, making it very difficult for farmers to detect GPV in the clinical setting. Although there are many clinical testing methods for GPV, some of them still suffered from shortcomings such as being time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, gold nanoparticles were put into a conventional PCR reaction system, and the first nanoPCR reaction was successfully established to detect infected GPV in the clinic, thus providing a practical method for the detection of GPV clinical infection.

Abstract

Gosling plague (GP) is an acute and hemorrhagic infectious disease caused by goose parvovirus (GPV). The goose industry suffers significant economic losses as a result of GP, which is found to be widespread worldwide, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Our group developed a novel technique for detecting GPV nanoparticle-assisted polymerase chain reaction (nanoPCR) and the characterization of its specificity and sensitivity. It was developed by using the traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nanoparticles. The findings of this study revealed that GPV nanoPCR products were 389 bp in length, and the lower limit of the nanoPCR assay was 4.68 × 10² copies/μL, whereas that of the conventional PCR assay was 4.68 × 10⁴ copies/μL. A total of 230 geese suspected of GPV were detected using nanoPCR, with a positive rate of 83.0% and a specificity of 73%, respectively. Overall, we present a hitherto undocumented method for identifying GPV by using nanoPCR to aid in the evaluation of subclinical illness.

Enhancement of Salmonella Enteritidis Detection Using Nanoparticle-Assisted Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Improved; fast; and specific detection of pathogens has always been of great importance; more so with the increase of human population and human interaction. In this work we investigate the application of metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO; Fe2O3; and TiO2) in the detection of the pathogen Salmonella enteritidis using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized; and then they were added at different concentrations to qPCR for Salmonella enteritidis detection. qPCR provides numerical data such as threshold cycle (Ct); efficiency; and DNA yield which make comparing the different tested conditions easier and more accurate. It has been observed that adding all three types of NPs at an optimum concentration 4×10−11 M for ZnO NPs, and 4×10−9 for Fe2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles has led to increasing the efficiency of the reaction to 100% and to lowering the threshold cycle value by up to 6.6 for ZnO nanoparticles; hence increasing the DNA yield of the reaction; and lowering the detection time of the pathogen by up to 50%.

New Insights for the Design of Bionic Robots: Adaptive Motion Adjustment Strategies During Feline Landings

Felines have significant advantages in terms of sports energy efficiency and flexibility compared with other animals, especially in terms of jumping and landing. The biomechanical characteristics of a feline (cat) landing from different heights can provide new insights into bionic robot design based on research results and the needs of bionic engineering. The purpose of this work was to investigate the adaptive motion adjustment strategy of the cat landing using a machine learning algorithm and finite element analysis (FEA). In a bionic robot, there are considerations in the design of the mechanical legs. (1) The coordination mechanism of each joint should be adjusted intelligently according to the force at the bottom of each mechanical leg. Specifically, with the increase in force at the bottom of the mechanical leg, the main joint bearing the impact load gradually shifts from the distal joint to the proximal joint; (2) the hardness of the materials located around the center of each joint of the bionic mechanical leg should be strengthened to increase service life; (3) the center of gravity of the robot should be lowered and the robot posture should be kept forward as far as possible to reduce machine wear and improve robot operational accuracy.

Pathogenicity comparison of the SMPV-11 and attenuated mink enteritis virus F61 in mink

Mink enteritis virus (MEV) is a major pathogen inducing acute hemorrhagic enteritis in mink. This study aims to determine the pathogenicity of the isolated MEV strain (SMPV-11) compared with the attenuated MEV strain (MEV-F61) in the mink. The two MEV strains were inoculated in the two mink groups, respectively. Then the clinical symptom, hematological, serological, and histopathological change were evaluated. Our findings showed that there were differences in the clinical features and pathological changes of the SMPV-11 and MEV-F61 in the mink. It indicates that SMPV-11 is a virulent strain, and it can be the potential MEV vaccine strain in the mink.

Development of a nanoparticle-assisted PCR assay to distinguish canine coronaviruses I and II

Nanoparticle-assisted PCR (nanoPCR) is a novel method for the simple, rapid, and specific detection of viruses. We developed a nanoPCR method to detect and differentiate canine coronavirus I (CCoV I) and II (CCoV II). Primer pairs were designed against the M gene conserved region of CCoV I and CCoV II, producing specific fragments of 239 bp (CCoV I) and 105 bp (CCoV II). We optimized the annealing temperature and primer concentrations for the CCoV nanoPCR assay and assessed its sensitivity and specificity. Under optimized nanoPCR reaction conditions, the detection limits were 6.47 × 10¹ copies/μL for CCoV I and 6.91 × 10² copies/μL for CCoV II. No fragments were amplified using other canine viruses as templates. The sensitivity of the nanoPCR assay was 100-fold higher than that of a conventional RT-PCR assay. Among 60 clinical samples collected from Beijing, China, the assay detected 12% positive for CCoV I and 48% positive for CCoV II. Our nanoPCR method is an effective method to rapidly detect CCoV I and CCoV II alone, or as a mixed infection, in dogs.

Development of a sensitive and specific nanoparticle-assisted PCR assay for detecting HPV-16 and HPV-18 DNA

Carcinoma precursor lesion caused by persistent infection of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 is known as a principal inducer of cervical cancer. Therefore, rapid and effective detection of HPV-16 and HPV-18 infection at early stage is an important strategy for preventing such disease. In this study, a novel duplex nanoparticle-assisted polymerase chain reaction (nanoPCR) assay was developed to detect both of the two genotypes simultaneously. Two pairs of primers for nanoPCR were designed based on the conserved region within the early 6 (E6) gene of HPV-16 and HPV-18, respectively. After optimizing reaction conditions, the nanoPCR assay displayed 10-fold more sensitive than that of conventional PCR and showed high specificity. The detection limit of nanoPCR was 1.7 × 101  copies/μL for HPV-16, 1.2 × 102  copies/μL for HPV-18, and no cross-reaction was detected after using other viruses or HPV subtypes as templates. Of 209 clinical samples collected from patients, as also confirmed by sequencing, the nanoPCR method gave consistent results with conventional PCR assay: 7 positives for HPV-16, 4 positives for HPV-18, and no co-infection. Here is the first report to introduce a reproducible nanoPCR assay for detecting HPV DNA with high sensitivity and specificity, which may point out a useful diagnostic tool for potential clinical application.

Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification and conventional PCR tests for diagnosis of common Brucella species

OBJECTIVE

Rapid, reliable, and affordable detection of Brucella species via the molecular methods remains a challenge. In recent years, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a functional nucleic acid amplification technique offering a substitute to polymerase chain reaction (PCR). So, we compared the LAMP assay with the conventional PCR for the identification of common Brucella species in Iran. In this study, LAMP assay was comprehensively evaluated against the common PCR method. A group of specific LAMP primers were used to amplify a highly specific fragment from the sequence of the Brucella abortus, bcsp31 gene. Sensitivity and specificity values of tests were done with a set of 78 (50 Brucella and 28 non-Brucella) strains.

RESULTS

A dilution series of B. abortus DNA indicated that the LAMP reaction could reliably detect 10 (fg/µl) DNA target copies per reaction within 36 min, which is 10 times greater than the PCR assay. In summary, we conclude that LAMP assay provide accurate and fast test results to identify of common Brucella species in low-complexity labs, mainly in low and lower middle income countries.

Effects of Graphene Oxide-Gold Nanoparticles Nanocomposite on Highly Sensitive Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Detection

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become a powerful molecular diagnostic technique over the past few decades, but remains somewhat impaired due to low specificity, poor sensitivity, and false positive results. Metal and carbon nanomaterials, quantum dots, and metal oxides, can improve the quality and productivity of PCR assays. Here, we describe the ability of PCR assisted with nanomaterials (nano-PCR) comprising a nanocomposite of graphene oxide (GO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for sensitive detection of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Graphene oxide and AuNPs have been widely applied as biomedical materials for diagnosis, therapy, and drug delivery due to their unique chemical and physical properties. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is highly contagious and fatal for cloven-hoofed animals including pigs, and it can thus seriously damage the swine industry. Therefore, a highly sensitive, specific, and practical method is needed to detect FMDV. The detection limit of real-time PCR improved by ~1000 fold when assisted by GO-AuNPs. We also designed a system of detecting serotypes in a single assay based on melting temperatures. Our sensitive and specific nano-PCR system can be applied to diagnose early FMDV infection, and thus may prove to be useful for clinical and biomedical applications.

Reliability of fNIRS for noninvasive monitoring of brain function and emotion in sheep

The aim of this work was to critically assess if functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can be profitably used as a tool for noninvasive recording of brain functions and emotions in sheep. We considered an experimental design including advances in instrumentation (customized wireless multi-distance fNIRS system), more accurate physical modelling (two-layer model for photon diffusion and 3D Monte Carlo simulations), support from neuroanatomical tools (positioning of the fNIRS probe by MRI and DTI data of the very same animals), and rigorous protocols (motor task, startling test) for testing the behavioral response of freely moving sheep. Almost no hemodynamic response was found in the extra-cerebral region in both the motor task and the startling test. In the motor task, as expected we found a canonical hemodynamic response in the cerebral region when sheep were walking. In the startling test, the measured hemodynamic response in the cerebral region was mainly from movement. Overall, these results indicate that with the current setup and probe positioning we are primarily measuring the motor area of the sheep brain, and not probing the too deeply located cortical areas related to processing of emotions.

Why have nanotechnologies been underutilized in the global uprising against the coronavirus pandemic?

Prior research on nanotechnologies in diagnostics, prevention and treatment of coronavirus infections is reviewed. Gold nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots in colorimetric and immunochromatographic assays, silica nanoparticles in the polymerase chain reaction and spike protein nanospheres as antigen carriers and adjuvants in vaccine formulations present notable examples in diagnostics and prevention, while uses of nanoparticles in coronavirus infection treatments have been merely sporadic. The current absence of antiviral therapeutics that specifically target human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, might be largely due to the underuse of nanotechnologies. Elucidating the interface between nanoparticles and coronaviruses is timely, but presents the only route to the rational design of precisely targeted therapeutics for coronavirus infections. Such a fundamental approach is also a viable prophylaxis against future pandemics of this type.

Nanobody‑horseradish peroxidase and -EGFP fusions as reagents to detect porcine parvovirus in the immunoassays

Background

Antibodies are an important reagent to determine the specificity and accuracy of diagnostic immunoassays for various diseases. However, traditional antibodies have several shortcomings due to their limited abundance, difficulty in permanent storage, and required use of a secondary antibody. Nanobodies, which are derived from single-chain camelid antibodies, can circumvent many of these limitations and, thus, appear to be a promising substitute. In the presented study, a sandwich ELISA-like immunoassay and direct fluorescent assay with high sensitivity, good specificity, and easy operation were the first time to develop for detecting porcine parvovirus (PPV). After screening PPV viral particles 2 (VP2) specific nanobodies, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusions were derived from the nanobodies by recombinant technology. Finally, using the nanobody-HRP and -EGFP fusions as probes, the developed immunoassays demonstrate specific, sensitive, and rapid detection of PPV.

Results

In the study, five PPV-VP2 specific nanobodies screened from an immunised Bactrian camel were successfully expressed with the bacterial system and purified with a Ni–NTA column. Based on the reporter-nanobody platform, HRP and EGFP fusions were separately produced by transfection of HEK293T cells. A sandwich ELISA-like assay for detecting PPV in the samples was firstly developed using PPV-VP2-Nb19 as the capture antibody and PPV-VP2-Nb56-HRP fusions as the detection antibody. The assay showed 92.1% agreement with real-time PCR and can be universally used to surveil PPV infection in the pig flock. In addition, a direct fluorescent assay using PPV-VP2-Nb12-EGFP fusion as a probe was developed to detect PPV in ST cells. The assay showed 81.5% agreement with real-time PCR and can be used in laboratory tests.

Conclusions

For the first time, five PPV-VP2 specific nanobody-HRP and -EGFP fusions were produced as reagents for developing immunoassays. A sandwich ELISA-like immunoassay using PPV-VP2-Nb19 as the capture antibody and PPV-VP2-Nb56-HRP fusion as the detection antibody was the first time to develop for detecting PPV in different samples. Results showed that the immunoassay can be universally used to surveil PPV infection in pig flock. A direct fluorescent assay using PPV-VP2-Nb12-EGFP as a probe was also developed to detect PPV in ST cells. The two developed immunoassays eliminate the use of commercial secondary antibodies and shorten detection time. Meanwhile, both assays display great developmental prospect for further commercial production and application.

Duplex PCR for Detection of Aleutian Disease Virus from Biological and Environmental Samples

Aleutian disease is one of the most serious disease entities affecting mink farms. The disease causes significant economic losses in mink breeding countries. The aim of the study was to optimize a diagnostic test based on duplex PCR to enable detection of Aleutian disease virus in biological and environmental samples.

Blood (n = 40) and spleen (n = 40) samples from animals with suspected infection, and swabs from cages in which infected animals were kept (n = 20) were used for analysis. DNA was isolated from the samples, followed by optimization of the duplex PCR reaction targeting sequences coding NS1 and VP2 proteins. The qPCR method was used to determine the sensitivity of the reaction. The specificity of the analysis was confirmed by the sequencing results.

Optimized duplex PCR enabled detection of Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (AMDV) genetic material in biological and environmental samples. Testing of the sensitivity of the method indicated clear amplification for both primer pairs at 102 copies of viral DNA in a reaction. Sequencing confirmed the specificity of the reaction, which in the case of both primer pairs indicated an over 90% agreement between the isolates and the variants of the virus from the databases.

The use of duplex PCR to detect two regions of the AMDV genome may increase the sensitivity and specificity of the method and significantly expand the possibilities of further analysis based on sequencing.

Simultaneous Detection of Bovine Rotavirus, Bovine Parvovirus, and Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Using a Gold Nanoparticle-Assisted PCR Assay With a Dual-Priming Oligonucleotide System

Bovine rotavirus (BRV), bovine parvovirus (BPV), and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are the pathogens that cause diarrhea primarily in newborn calves. A mixed infection of BRV, BPV, and BVDV makes clinical diagnosis difficult. In this study, we designed dual-priming oligonucleotide (DPO) primers the VP6 gene of BRV, VP2 gene of BPV, and 5′UTR gene of BVDV and synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with an average diameter of 10 nm. We combined the DPOs with the GNPs to develop a DPO-nanoPCR assay for detecting BRV, BPV, and BVDV. The annealing temperature, primer concentration, and GNP concentration were optimized for this assay. Compared to a conventional PCR assay, the DPO-nanoPCR assay allowed the use of a wider range of annealing temperatures (41–65°C) to effectively amplify target genes. PCR amplification was the most efficient at 56.2°C using conventional primers. The optimal volume of all the primers (10 μM) was 1.0 μL. The optimal volume of GNPs (10 nM) for all the reactions was 0.5 μL. The detection limits of DPO-nanoPCR for pMD19-T-VP6, pMD19-T-VP2, and pMD19-T-5′UTR were 9.40 × 10² copies/μL, 5.14 × 10³ copies/μL, and 4.09 × 10¹ copies/μL, respectively; and those using conventional PCR were 9.40 × 10⁴ copies/μL, 5.14 × 10⁵ copies/μL, and 4.09 × 10⁴ copies/μL, respectively. The sensitivity of DPO-nanoPCR was at least 100-fold higher than that of conventional PCR. The specificity detection showed that the DPO-nanoPCR was able to specifically detect BRV, BPV, and BVDV. Use of clinical samples indicated that target viruses can be detected accurately. Thus, DPO-nanoPCR is a new powerful, simple, specific, and sensitive tool for detecting mixed infections of BRV, BPV, and BVDV.

Viral Nonstructural Protein 1 Induces Mitochondrion-Mediated Apoptosis in Mink Enteritis Virus Infection

Mink enteritis virus (MEV), an autonomous parvovirus, causes acute hemorrhagic enteritis in minks. The molecular pathogenesis of MEV infection has not been fully understood. In this study, we observed significantly increased apoptosis in the esophagus, small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, and kidney in minks experimentally infected with strain MEVB. In vitro infection of feline F81 cells with MEVB decreased cell viability and induced cell cycle arrest at G₁ phase and apoptosis. By screening MEV nonstructural proteins (NS1 and NS2) and structural proteins (VP1 and VP2), we demonstrated that the MEV NS1 induced apoptosis in both F81 and human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells, similar to that induced during MEV infection in minks. We found that the NS1 protein-induced apoptosis in HEK293T cells was mediated not by the death receptor but by the mitochondrial pathway, as demonstrated by mitochondrial depolarization, opening of mitochondrial transition pore, release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspase-9 and -3. Moreover, in NS1-transfected cells, we observed an increase of Bax expression and its translocation to the mitochondria, as well as an increased ratio of the Bax/Bcl-2, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and p53. Taken together, our results demonstrated that MEV induces apoptosis through activation of p38 MAPK and the p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway induced by NS1 protein, which sheds light on the molecular pathogenesis of MEV infection.IMPORTANCE MEV causes fatal hemorrhagic enteritis in minks. Apoptosis is a cellular mechanism that effectively sacrifices virus-infected cells to maintain homeostasis between the virus and host. In this study, we demonstrated that MEV induces apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro Mechanistically, the viral large nonstructural protein NS1 activates p38 MAPK, which leads p53 phosphorylation to mediate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway but not the death receptor-mediated apoptotic pathway. This is the first report to uncover the mechanism underlying MEV-induced apoptosis.

Mesenchymal stem cells therapy in companion animals: useful for immune-mediated diseases?

Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent cells, with capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into tissues of mesodermal origin. These cells are possible therapeutic agents for autoimmune disorders, since they present remarkable immunomodulatory ability.The increase of immune-mediated diseases in veterinary medicine has led to a growing interest in the research of these disorders and their medical treatment. Conventional immunomodulatory drug therapy such as glucocorticoids or other novel therapies such as cyclosporine or monoclonal antibodies are associated with numerous side effects that limit its long-term use, leading to the need for developing new therapeutic strategies that can be more effective and safe.The aim of this review is to provide a critical overview about the therapeutic potential of these cells in the treatment of some autoimmune disorders (canine atopic dermatitis, feline chronic gingivostomatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and feline asthma) compared with their conventional treatment.Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy in autoimmune diseases has been showing that this approach can ameliorate clinical signs or even cause remission in most animals, with the exception of canine atopic dermatitis in which little to no improvement was observed.Although mesenchymal stem cells present a promising future in the treatment of most of these disorders, the variability in the outcomes of some clinical trials has led to the current controversy among authors regarding their efficacy. Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy is currently requiring a deeper and detailed analysis that allows its standardization and better adaptation to the intended therapeutic results, in order to overcome current limitations in future trials.

Simultaneous detection and differentiation of canine parvovirus and feline parvovirus by high resolution melting analysis

BACKGROUND

Canine parvovirus (CPV) and feline parvovirus (FPV) are causative agents of diarrhea in dogs and cats, which manifests as depression, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, leucopenia, and diarrhea in young animals. CPV and FPV can single or mixed infect cats and cause disease. To diagnose sick animals effectively, an effective virus diagnostic and genome typing method with high sensitivity and specificity is required.

RESULTS

In this study, a conserved segment containing one SNP A4408C of parvovirus was used for real-time PCR amplification. Subsequently, data were auto-analyzed and plotted using Applied Biosystems® High Resolution Melt Software v3.1. Results showed that CPV and FPV can be detected simultaneously in a single PCR reaction. No cross-reactions were observed with canine adenovirus, canine coronavirus, and canine distemper virus. The assay had a detection limit of 4.2 genome copies of CPV and FPV. A total of 80 clinical samples were subjected to this assay, as well as to conventional PCR-sequence assay and virus isolation. Results showed that the percentage of agreement of the assay and other methods are high.

CONCLUSIONS

In short, we have developed a diagnostic test for the accurate detection and differentiation of CPV and FPV in fecal samples, which is also cost effective.

Assessment of the hepatocyte protective effects of gypenoside and its phosphorylated derivative against DHAV-1 infection on duck embryonic hepatocytes

Background

Duck viral hepatitis (DVH) is an acute disease of young ducklings with no effective veterinary drugs for treatment. Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that plays an important role in the treatment of various diseases. Gypenoside (GP), one of the main ingredients of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, was reported with good hepatoprotective effects. However, its low solubility limits its application in the clinics. To improve its solubility and bioactivity, a phosphorylated derivative of gypenoside (pGP) was prepared by the sodium trimetaphosphate-sodium tripolyphosphate (STMP-STPP) method. An infrared spectroscopy method was applied to analyse the structures of GP and pGP. Then, a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay was applied to study the hepatocyte protective efficacy of these two drugs against duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1) infection, and qPCR, TUNEL labelling and flow cytometry methods were used to study the relevant hepatocyte protective in vitro.

Results

The infrared spectroscopy detection results showed that the phosphorylation modification of GP was successful. The MTT colorimetric assay results showed that both GP and pGP possessed good hepatocyte protective efficacy in vitro, and pGP performed better than GP when the drug was added before or after virus inoculation. Furthermore, the qPCR results revealed that both drugs could effectively inhibit the adsorption (when adding GP and pGP pre-virus inoculation), replication and release of DHAV-1, and the viral inhibition rate of pGP was greater than that of GP. The subsequent TUNEL labelling and flow cytometry assays showed that both GP and pGP could significantly inhibit duck embryo hepatocyte apoptosis induced by DHAV-1, and the inhibition effect of pGP was much stronger than that of GP.

Conclusions

GP exerts good hepatocyte protective efficacy not only by inhibiting the proliferation of DHAV-1 but also by inhibiting duck embryonic hepatocyte apoptosis induced by DHAV-1, and phosphorylation modification significantly improves the antiviral and the anti-apoptotic effects of GP. Therefore, pGP has the potential to be developed into a novel drug against DHAV-1 infection.

Development of a nanoparticle-assisted PCR assay for detection of bovine respiratory syncytial virus

Background

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a common pathogen causing respiratory disease in cattle and a significant contributor to the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex. BRSV is widely distributed around the world, causing severe economic losses. This study we established a new molecular detection method of BRSV pathogen NanoPCR attributed to the combination of nano-particles in traditional PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) technology.

Results

In this study, the BRSV NanoPCR assay was developed, and its specificity and sensitivity were investigated. The results showed that no cross-reactivity was observed for the NanoPCR assay for related viruses, including the infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3), and the assay was more sensitive than the conventional PCR assay, with a detection limit of 1.43 × 10² copies recombinant plasmids per reaction, compared with 1.43 × 10³ copies for conventional PCR analysis. Moreover, thirty-nine clinical bovine samples collected from two provinces in North-Eastern China, 46.15% were determined BRSV positive by our NanoPCR assay, compared with 23.07% for conventional PCR.

Conclusions

This is the first report to demonstrate the application of a NanoPCR assay for the detection of BRSV. The sensitive and specific NanoPCR assay developed in this study can be applied widely in clinical diagnosis and field surveillance of BRSV infection.

Enantioselective Plasma Pharmacokinetic Study of a Novel Anti- Sichistosomiasis Agent P96 in Rat by Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry

Background:

2-Cyclopentanecarbonyl-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-pyrazino[2,1- a]isoquinolin- 4-one (P96), was found to be a novel drug candidate with one chiral center to treat schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum. </P><P> Objective: To study pharmacokinetic characteristics, a simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and fully validated for the quantification analysis of P96 in rat plasma.

Methods:

Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column with gradient eluted mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer using positive mode electrospray ionization in the multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode.

Results:

Excellent linearity was observed in the range of 3-900 ng/mL with the lower limit of quantification of 3 ng/mL in rat plasma for P96. The intra- and inter-day precisions exhibited less than 6.6%. Mean recoveries ranged from 96.9% to 102.4%. This method was applied to investigate the enantioselective differences on the pharmacokinetics between (R,S)-P96 and its enantiomers in rats after oral administration. The enantioselective differences of (R)-P96, (S)-P96 and (R,S)-P96 were found and compared.

Conclusion:

The established method was found to be accurate, precise, and sensitive and can be applied to investigate the stereoselective differences on pharmacokinetics between rac-P96 and its enantiomers.

Immunoproteomics and Surfaceomics of the Adult Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta

In cestodiasis, mechanical and molecular contact between the parasite and the host activates the immune response of the host and may result in inflammatory processes, leading to ulceration and intestinal dysfunctions. The aim of the present study was to identify antigenic proteins of the adult cestode Hymenolepis diminuta by subjecting the total protein extracts from adult tapeworms to 2DE immunoblotting (two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting) using sera collected from experimentally infected rats. A total of 36 protein spots cross-reacting with the rat sera were identified using LC-MS/MS. As a result, 68 proteins, including certain structural muscle proteins (actin, myosin, and paramyosin) and moonlighters (heat shock proteins, kinases, phosphatases, and glycolytic enzymes) were identified; most of these were predicted to possess binding and/or catalytic activity required in various metabolic and cellular processes, and reported here as potential antigens of the adult cestode for the first time. As several of these antigens can also be found at the cell surface, the surface-associated proteins were extracted and subjected to in-solution digestion for LC-MS/MS identification (surfaceomics). As a result, a total of 76 proteins were identified, from which 31 proteins, based on 2DE immunoblotting, were predicted to be immunogenic. These included structural proteins actin, myosin and tubulin as well as certain moonlighting proteins (heat-shock chaperones) while enzymes with diverse catalytic activities were found as the most dominating group of proteins. In conclusion, the present study shed new light into the complexity of the enteric cestodiasis by showing that the H. diminuta somatic proteins exposed to the host possess immunomodulatory functions, and that the immune response of the host could be stimulated by diverse mechanisms, involving also those triggering protein export via yet unknown pathways.

Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification-Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis for Detection and Differentiation of Wild-type and Vaccine Strains of Mink Enteritis Virus

Broad coverage of mink enteritis virus (MEV) vaccination program in northeast of China has provided effective protection from mink viral enteritis. Nevertheless, MEV vaccine failures were reported due to continually evolving and changing virulence of field variants or wild-type MEV. In this study, a combined loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) method, named LAMP-SNP assay, was developed for detection and differentiation of wild-type and vaccine strains of MEV. Four primers in MEV-VP2-LAMP were used to detect both wild-type and vaccine strains of MEV in our previous publication, and other four primers in LAMP-SNP were designed to amplify the NS1 gene in wild-type MEV and only used to detect wild-type viruses. The LAMP-SNP assay was performed in a water bath held at a constant temperature of 65 °C for 60 min. LAMP-SNP amplification can be judged by both electrophoresis and visual assessment with the unaided eyes. In comparison with virus isolation as the gold standard in testing 171 mink samples, the percentage of agreement and relative sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP-SNP assay were 97.1, 100%, and 94.0%, respectively. There were no cross-reactions with other mink viruses. The LAMP-SNP assay was found to be a rapid, reliable and low-cost method to differentiate MEV vaccine and field variant strains.

Prevalence of fecal viruses and bacteriophage in Canadian farmed mink (Neovison vison)

Recent viral metagenomic studies have demonstrated the diversity of eukaryotic viruses and bacteriophage shed in the feces of domestic species. Although enteric disease is a major concern in the commercial mink farming industry, few etiologic agents have been well characterized. This study aimed to identify viruses shed in the fecal matter of clinically healthy commercial mink from 40 southern Ontario farms. Viral RNA was extracted from 67 pooled fecal samples (30 adult female mink and 37 kit) and amplified for Illumina sequencing on the NextSeq platform, and the resulting contigs were trimmed and assembled using Trimmomatic 0.36.0 and Spades 3.8.0 in iVirus (CyVerse, AZ, USA) and SeqMan NGen 12 (DNAStar, WI, USA). Identification of assembled sequences >100 bp (Geneious 10.1.3) showed an abundance of bacteriophage sequences, mainly from families Siphoviridae (53%), Podoviridae (22%), Myoviridae (20%), Inoviridae (1%), Leviviridae (0.04%), Tectiviridae (0.01%), and Microviridae (0.01%). A diverse range of vertebrate viruses were detected, of which posavirus 3, mink bocavirus, gyroviruses, and avian‐associated viruses were most abundant. Additionally, sequences from nonvertebrate viruses with water and soil‐associated amebal and algal hosts were also highly prevalent. The results of this study show that viruses shed in the fecal matter of healthy commercial mink are highly diverse and could be closely associated with diet, and that more research is necessary to determine how the detected viruses may impact mink health.

[Effect of pushing manipulation on Qiaogong acupoint on hemodynamics in cynomolgus monkeys with mild carotid atherosclerotic plaques]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the hemodynamic changes in cynomolgus monkeys with mild carotid atherosclerotic (CAS) plaques after therapy with pushing manipulation on Qiaogong acupoint (MPQ).

METHODS

Nine cynomolgus monkeys were equally randomized into MPQ group, mild CAS model group and blank control group. Mild CAS models were established in the monkeys in MPQ and model groups, and the monkeys in MPQ group received treatment with MPQ intervention after the modeling. The conditions of the carotid artery and the hemodynamic changes in the 3 groups were evaluated after the treatment.

RESULTS

Formation of CAS plaques was detected in monkeys in both MPQ and model groups. The vascular cross?sectional area, plaque cross?sectional area and stenosis rate of the plaques in the two groups all differed significantly from those in the blank control group (P<0.05), but these parameters were similar between MPQ group and the model group (P>0.05). Compared with those in the blank control group, the hemodynamic parameters showed significant changes in MPQ and the model groups (P<0.05) but remained similar between the latter two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

CAS plaques can cause changes in hemodynamic parameters. Short?term therapy with MPQ does not affect the stability of the plaques or cause adverse effects on hemodynamics in cynomolgus monkeys with mild CAS plaques.

[Effect of pushing manipulation on Qiaogong acupoint on hemodynamics in cynomolgus monkeys with mild carotid atherosclerotic plaques]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the hemodynamic changes in cynomolgus monkeys with mild carotid atherosclerotic (CAS) plaques after therapy with pushing manipulation on Qiaogong acupoint (MPQ).

METHODS

Nine cynomolgus monkeys were equally randomized into MPQ group, mild CAS model group and blank control group. Mild CAS models were established in the monkeys in MPQ and model groups, and the monkeys in MPQ group received treatment with MPQ intervention after the modeling. The conditions of the carotid artery and the hemodynamic changes in the 3 groups were evaluated after the treatment.

RESULTS

Formation of CAS plaques was detected in monkeys in both MPQ and model groups. The vascular cross?sectional area, plaque cross?sectional area and stenosis rate of the plaques in the two groups all differed significantly from those in the blank control group (P<0.05), but these parameters were similar between MPQ group and the model group (P>0.05). Compared with those in the blank control group, the hemodynamic parameters showed significant changes in MPQ and the model groups (P<0.05) but remained similar between the latter two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

CAS plaques can cause changes in hemodynamic parameters. Short?term therapy with MPQ does not affect the stability of the plaques or cause adverse effects on hemodynamics in cynomolgus monkeys with mild CAS plaques.

Transcriptome analysis of avian reovirus-mediated changes in gene expression of normal chicken fibroblast DF-1 cells

Background

Avian reovirus (ARV) is an important poultry pathogen that can cause immunosuppression. In this study, RNA-Seq technology was applied to investigate the transcriptome-wide changes of DF-1 cells upon ARV infection at the middle stage.

Results

Total RNA of ARV-infected or mock-infected samples at 10 and 18 h post infection (hpi) was extracted to build RNA-Seq datasets. Analysis of the sequencing data revealed that the expressions of numerous genes were altered, and a panel of differentially expressed genes were confirmed with RT-qPCR. At 10 hpi, 104 genes were down-regulated and 64 were up-regulated, while the expressions of 47 genes were increased and only one was down-regulated, which may play a role in retinoic acid biosynthesis, at 18 hpi in the ARV-infected cells. The similar profiles of up-regulated genes between the two groups of infected cells suggest that ARV infection activated a prolonged antiviral response of host cells. Alternative splicing analysis found no significantly changed events altered by ARV infection.

Conclusions

Overall, the differential expression profile presented in this study can be used to expand our understanding of the comprehensive interactions between ARV and the host cells, and may be helpful for us to reveal the pathogenic mechanism on the molecular level.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4310-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Blood acid-base status in impala (Aepyceros melampus) immobilised and maintained under total intravenous anaesthesia using two different drug protocols

BACKGROUND

In mammals, homeostasis and survival are dependent on effective trans-membrane movement of ions and enzyme function, which are labile to extreme acid-base changes, but operate efficiently within a narrow regulated pH range. Research in patients demonstrating a pH shifts outside the narrow regulated range decreased the cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance and altered the oxygen binding to haemoglobin. These cardiopulmonary observations may be applicable to the risks associated with anaesthesia and performance of wildlife ungulates on game farms. The aim of this study was to compare blood pH changes over time in impala immobilised and anaesthetised with two different drug protocols (P-TMP - immobilisation: thiafentanil-medetomidine; maintenance: propofol-ketamine-medetomidine; P-EME - immobilisation: etorphine-medetomidine; maintenance: etorphine-ketamine-medetomidine). Additionally, we discuss the resultant blood pH using both the Henderson-Hasselbalch and the Stewart approaches. Two data collection time points were defined, Time1 before maintenance of general anaesthesia and Time 2 at end of maintenance of general anaesthesia. We hypothesise that blood pH would not be different between drug protocols and would not change over time.

RESULTS

Significant differences were detected over time but not between the two drug protocols. Overall, the blood pH decreased over time from 7.37 ± 0.04 to 7.31 ± 0.05 (p = 0.001). Overall, over time arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide changed from 51.3 ± 7.5 mmHg to 72.6 ± 12.4 mmHg (p < 0.001); strong ion difference from 44.6 ± 2.4 mEq/L to 46.9 ± 3.1 mEq/L (p < 0.001); anion gap from 15.0 ± 3.1 mEq/L to 10.9 ± 2.2 mEq/L (p < 0.001); and total weak acids from 16.1 ± 1.2 mmol/L to 14.0 ± 1.1 mmol/L (p < 0.001). The bicarbonate changed from 29.6 ± 2.7 mEq/L to 36.0 ± 4.1 mEq/L (p < 0.001); and lactate changed from 2.9 ± 1.5 mEq/L to 0.3 ± 0.03 mEq/L (p < 0.001) over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The profound increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide that worsened during the total intravenous anaesthesia in both protocols initiated a substantial metabolic compensatory response to prevent severe acidaemia. This compensation resulted in a clinically acceptable mild acidaemic state, which worsened over time but not between the protocols, in healthy impala. However, these important compensatory mechanisms require normal physiological function and therefore when immobilising ill or anorexic wild ungulates their acid-base status should be carefully assessed.

Flavonoids: promising natural compounds against viral infections

Flavonoids are widely distributed as secondary metabolites produced by plants and play important roles in plant physiology, having a variety of potential biological benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity. Different flavonoids have been investigated for their potential antiviral activities and several of them exhibited significant antiviral properties in in vitro and even in vivo studies. This review summarizes the evidence for antiviral activity of different flavonoids, highlighting, where investigated, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action on viruses. We also present future perspectives on therapeutic applications of flavonoids against viral infections.

Gold Nanorod-based Photo-PCR System for One-Step, Rapid Detection of Bacteria

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been an essential tool for diagnosis of infectious diseases, but conventional PCR still has some limitations with respect to applications to point-of-care (POC) diagnostic systems that require rapid detection and miniaturization. Here we report a light-based PCR method, termed as photo-PCR, which enables rapid detection of bacteria in a single step. In the photo-PCR system, poly(enthylene glycol)-modified gold nanorods (PEG-GNRs), used as a heat generator, are added into the PCR mixture, which is subsequently periodically irradiated with a 808-nm laser to create thermal cycling. Photo-PCR was able to significantly reduce overall thermal cycling time by integrating bacterial cell lysis and DNA amplification into a single step. Furthermore, when combined with KAPA2G fast polymerase and cooling system, the entire process of bacterial genomic DNA extraction and amplification was further shortened, highlighting the potential of photo-PCR for use in a portable, POC diagnostic system.

A High-Concentrate Diet Induced Milk Fat Decline via Glucagon-Mediated Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Dairy Cows

Dairy cows are often fed a high-concentrate (HC) diet to meet lactation demands; however, long-term concentrate feeding is unhealthy and decreases milk fat. Therefore, we investigated the effects of liver lipid metabolism on milk fat synthesis. Ten lactating Holstein cows were assigned randomly into HC and LC (low-concentrate) diet groups. After 20 weeks of feeding, milk fat declined, and lipopolysaccharide levels in the jugular, portal, and hepatic veins increased in the HC group. Liver consumption and release of nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) into the bloodstream also decreased. AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα) was up-regulated significantly in the livers of the HC-fed cows. The HC diet also up-regulated the expression of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and its downstream targets involved in fatty acid oxidation, including carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1,2 (CPT-1, CPT-2), liver-fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO). The HC diet increased blood glucagon (GC) levels, and liver glucagon receptor (GCGR) expression was elevated. Cumulatively, a long-term HC diet decreased plasma concentrations of NEFA via the GC/GCGR-AMPK-PPARα signalling pathway and reduced their synthesis in the liver. The decreased NEFA concentration in the blood during HC feeding may explain the decline in the milk fat of lactating cows.

Flower-like ZnO nanostructure assisted loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for detection of Japanese encephalitis virus

In this study, we described a novel and effective flower-like ZnO nanostructure assisted Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method to detect Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV). The effects of different concentrations of ZnO nanoflower on the RT-LAMP reaction were investigated. With the increase of concentration of ZnO nanoflower, RT-LAMP reaction obtained optimization, until the concentration exceeded 1.5nM, RT-LAMP reaction was inhibited. Made 1nM as optimum concentration of ZnO nanoflower, we found that optimum RT-LAMP reaction temperature and time were 60°C and 30min, respectively. The optimization might be connected with good adsorption to DNA and thermal conductivity of ZnO nanoflower, but mechanism of the RT-LAMP reaction affected by ZnO nanoflower needs to be explored further.

Molecular detection of enteric viruses from diarrheic calves in Egypt

Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and economic losses in the beef and dairy industries. This study was conducted to investigate the existence of enteric viruses in two Egyptian farms with a history of recurrent diarrhea. Fecal samples were collected from 25 diarrheic calves. RNA was extracted and tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the presence of rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus, torovirus, coronavirus and bovine viral diarrhea virus. Overall, 76 % (19/25) of samples tested positive for one or more viruses. Rota-, noro- and astroviruses were detected in 48 %, 24 % and 32 % of tested samples, respectively. About 37 % (7/19) of positive samples had two different viruses. One-month-old calves were the group most vulnerable to infections. Based on phylogenetic analysis, bovine rotaviruses were of genotypes G6 and G10, bovine noroviruses were in GIII.2, and bovine astroviruses were in the BAstV lineage 1. Astrovirus sequences showed a high level nucleotide sequence similarity with the Brazilian BAstV sequences available in GenBank. We believe this is the first report of bovine norovirus and bovine astrovirus circulating among calves in Egypt. Further epidemiological studies are recommended to investigate their presence on a wider scale, to predict their association with NCD, and to design appropriate diagnostic and control methods.

Lithium-silicate sol-gel bioactive glass and the effect of lithium precursor on structure-property relationships

ABSTRACT

This work reports the synthesis of lithium-silicate glass, containing 10 mol% of Li 2 O by the sol-gel process, intended for the regeneration of cartilage. Lithium citrate and lithium nitrate were selected as lithium precursors. The effects of the lithium precursor on the sol-gel process, and the resulting glass structure, morphology, dissolution behaviour, chondrocyte viability and proliferation, were investigated. When lithium citrate was used, mesoporous glass containing lithium as a network modifier was obtained, whereas the use of lithium nitrate produced relatively dense glass-ceramic with the presence of lithium metasilicate, as shown by X-ray diffraction, 29 Si and 7 Li MAS NMR and nitrogen sorption data. Nitrate has a better affinity for lithium than citrate, leading to heterogeneous crystallisation from the mesopores, where lithium salts precipitated during drying. Citrate decomposed at a lower temperature, where the crystallisation of lithium-silicate crystal is not thermodynamically favourable. Upon decomposition of the citrate, a solid-state salt metathesis reaction between citrate and silanol occurred, followed by the diffusion of lithium within the structure of the glass. Both glass and glass-ceramic released silica and lithium ions in culture media, but release rate was lower for the glass-ceramic. Both samples did not affect chondrocyte viability and proliferation.

The effect of gold nanoparticles on the diagnostic polymerase chain reaction technique for equine herpes virus 1 (EHV-1)

We experimented the effect of 15 nm unmodified citrate coated GNPs on the key PCR reactants to see if these would enhance the overall outcomes of the reaction. Thus, the optimized GNPs-assisted PCR could be used for more efficient diagnosis of EHV-1.